US and UAE Forge Landmark AI Partnership: Massive Data Center and Chip Access Deal Announced

US and UAE to build vast AI data centre in Abu Dhabi

President Donald Trump and his United Arab Emirates counterpart have revealed plans to build the largest group of artificial intelligence data centres outside the US, boosting the UAE's ambitions of becoming a global AI hub. The announcement came during a Trump visit to Abu Dhabi to meet its president, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed al-Nahyan, and other UAE officials. It was the American president's third stop of a Gulf tour this week that he says has raised trillions of dollars in investment for the US. AI has been a theme of President Trump's trip in the Gulf, whose monarchies hope the cutting-edge technology will help diversify their oil-reliant economies, and whose huge sovereign wealth funds are keen to back AI initiatives. The 10-square-mile UAE-US AI Campus, located in Abu Dhabi and built by Emirati AI company G42, is planned to have 5GW of data centre power -- equivalent to more than 2mn of AI chipmaker Nvidia's latest generation of GB200 chips, experts say. By comparison, Elon Musk's "Colossus" AI supercomputer facility in Tennessee runs 200,000 of Nvidia's previous generation "Hopper" chips. While only a 1GW data centre is to be launched in the short term, that would still require 500,000 of Nvidia's latest chips. Although an important US ally in the Middle East, the UAE is subject to the same export restrictions as dozens of other countries, as the US has sought to limit access to powerful chips made by companies such as Nvidia over concerns that they would leak to China. The licensing process had slowed down the flow of advanced technology and frustrated Abu Dhabi's AI ambitions, which range from cultivating advanced industries to becoming the first "AI-native government". But the Trump administration appears to be loosening those rules, having officially scrapped a Biden-era licensing regime shortly before it was due to take effect this week. The regulation would have put a cap on the number of chips that so-called tier 2 countries, such as the UAE, could import. "It seems that the Trump administration is somewhat more eager to encourage AI development outside the United States," said Thea Kendler, former assistant secretary for export administration at the Department of Commerce under the Biden administration. Gulf countries will be looking for "reliable access" to chips, said Kendler, now a partner at Mayer Brown. "To invest in the extraordinary infrastructure required for an AI data centre, you want to know that stream of chips -- and not just today's chips, but the next generation and the next generation -- will be able to come to you." Saudi Arabia and Nvidia struck a deal this week to build "AI factories" powered by the chipmaker's latest processors. UAE officials have worked to convince Washington that they are committed to partnering with US AI companies over Chinese ones. G42, the region's biggest AI company, says it has cut ties to Chinese suppliers. Abu Dhabi funds have backed AI projects in the US, including Sam Altman's Stargate and BlackRock's $30bn AI infrastructure fund. The US commerce department said on Thursday the US and UAE had agreed to a partnership framework on AI, and that the UAE was "committed to safeguarding advanced AI technologies by implementing stringent measures to prevent diversion and ensure controlled access to technology". It did not say whether regulations around the UAE's access to chips had been changed. The powerful computing resources will only be used by "US hyperscalers and approved cloud service providers", the commerce department added. A White House statement said the agreement included UAE commitments to fund, build or invest in equivalent-sized data centres in the US. Commerce secretary Howard Lutnick called the deal "a major milestone in achieving President Trump's vision for US AI dominance". Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed al-Nahyan, G42's chair and the UAE's national security adviser, said it "strengthen[ed] the UAE's position as a hub for cutting-edge research and sustainable development". The powerful Abu Dhabi royal had unveiled a UAE pledge to invest $1.4tn in the US over the next decade during a visit to the White House this year.

UAE and US agree on path for Abu Dhabi to buy most advanced AI chips, Trump says

DUBAI, May 16 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday the United Arab Emirates and the United States have agreed to create a path for the Gulf country to buy some of the most advanced artificial intelligence semiconductors from U.S. companies. The deal, which was finalised on Thursday during Trump's visit to Abu Dhabi, is a major win for the UAE, which has been trying to balance its relations with its longtime ally the U.S. and its largest trading partner China. It reflects the Trump administration's confidence that the chips can be managed securely, in part by requiring data centres be managed by U.S. companies. "We're making great progress for the $1.4 (trillion) that UAE has announced it intends to spend in the United States," Trump said, speaking during the last stop of a multi-day tour of Gulf states that included stops in Saudi Arabia and Qatar. "Yesterday the two countries also agreed to create a path for UAE to buy some of the world's most advanced AI semiconductors from American companies, a very big contract," he said. "This will generate billions and billions of dollars in business and accelerate the UAE's plans to become a really major player in artificial intelligence," Trump added. The UAE in March committed to a 10-year, $1.4 trillion investment framework in the United States in sectors including energy, AI and manufacturing. Reporting by Nayera Abdallah and Yousef Saba, Writing by Federico Maccioni, Editing by Timothy Heritage and Ros Russell Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab Suggested Topics:Artificial Intelligence

Deals take centre stage in Trump's Gulf visit

RIYADH/DUBAI, May 13 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump secured a $600 billion commitment from Saudi Arabia on Tuesday to invest in the United States after the oil power rolled out the red carpet for him at the start of a tour of Gulf states. A slate of high-profile business deals across Riyadh, Doha and Abu Dhabi were being unveiled this week, with artificial intelligence and emerging technologies taking centre stage as Gulf nations race to secure a foothold in the global AI economy. Here is an overview of major deals and announcements made on the sidelines of Trump's Gulf visit: * Saudi Arabian DataVolt plans to invest $20 billion in AI data centres and energy infrastructure in the United States. * Google (GOOGL.O), opens new tab , DataVolt, Oracle (ORCL.N), opens new tab, Salesforce (CRM.N), opens new tab, AMD (AMD.O), opens new tab, and Uber (UBER.N), opens new tab are committing to invest $80 billion in technologies in both countries. * Construction consulting firms Hill International, Jacobs, Parsons, and AECOM are building key infrastructure projects such as King Salman International Airport, King Salman Park, The Vault, Qiddiya City, and more, totalling $2 billion in U.S. services exports. * Additional major exports include GE Vernova's (GEV.N), opens new tab gas turbines and energy solutions totalling $14.2 billion and Boeing 737-8 passenger aircraft for AviLease totalling $4.8 billion. * Healthcare firm Shamekh IV Solutions will be investing $5.8 billion, including a plant in Michigan to launch a high-capacity IV fluid facility. * Hassana Investment Company and Franklin Templeton signed a memorandum of understanding valued at $150 million to explore a strategic partnership related to investments in Saudi private credit opportunities. * Saudi Aramco (2222.SE), opens new tab will sign on Tuesday memorandums of understanding with U.S. liquefied natural gas producer NextDecade (NEXT.O), opens new tab and utility firm Sempra (SRE.N), opens new tab, Aramco's chief executive said. * U.S. chip giant Nvidia (NVDA.O), opens new tab and Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund-owned AI startup Humain announced a partnership. * U.S.-based investment platform Burkhan World Investments said it signed memorandums of understanding with Saudi partners, totaling $15 billion in new investment commitments. Compiled by Manya Saini and Hadeel Al Sayegh; Editing by Alex Richardson Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab Suggested Topics:Middle EastGrid & InfrastructureExploration & Production

U.S., UAE agree on path for Emirates to buy top American AI chips, Trump says

U.S. President Donald Trump signs a guest book next to United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, at Qasr Al Watan, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, May 15, 2025. ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates -- The U.S. and United Arab Emirates are working on a path to allow Abu Dhabi to purchase some of the most advanced American-made semiconductors for its AI development, U.S. President Donald Trump said from the Emirati capital Friday. "Yesterday the two countries also agreed to create a path for the UAE to buy some of the word's most advanced AI semiconductors from American companies, it's a very big contract," Trump said while attending the U.S.-UAE Business Council breakfast during the last day of his four-day visit to the Middle East. The UAE has invested heavily in AI infrastructure in recent years with the aim of becoming a global hub for the technology. Central to that goal is U.S. semiconductors, the most advanced of which Washington's Arab Gulf allies so far have not gained access to due to national security concerns.

Trump agrees deal for UAE to build largest AI campus outside US

Agreement that would give Gulf country better access to advanced AI chips raises concerns over Chinese influence The United Arab Emirates and the United States have signed an agreement for the Gulf country to build the largest artificial intelligence campus outside the United States, one of several deals around AI made during Donald Trump's visit to the Middle East. But the agreement has also raised concerns, since it would have faced restrictions under the previous administration over Washington's fears that China could access the technology. The agreement to build the campus would give UAE expanded access to advanced AI chips. The US and UAE did not say which AI chips could be included in the data centers, but sources told Reuters the UAE could be allowed to import 500,000 of Nvidia's most advanced AI chips per year starting in 2025. Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang was seen in televised footage conversing with Donald Trump and UAE president Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan at a palace in Abu Dhabi on Thursday. The agreement is a major win for the UAE, which has been trying to balance its relations with its longtime ally the US and its largest trading partner China. The Gulf state has been spending billions of dollars in a push to become a global AI player. But its ties to China had limited access to US chips under former president Joe Biden. The deal reflects the Trump administration's confidence that the chips can be managed securely, in part by requiring data centres be managed by US companies. The US has been at the forefront of AI technology and innovation, but over the past year China has emerged as a serious competitor. Despite Trump's confidence, some worry that striking deals with Persian Gulf countries could further diminish US grip on the burgeoning tech. There's also the fear that China would be able to access these data centers for its own benefit. Top CEOs from AI and chip companies, such as OpenAI's Sam Altman and Nvidia's Huang, appear to support such a deal. It could bring their products to an even larger world stage and they stand to profit immensely. The AI agreement "includes the UAE committing to invest in, build, or finance US data centres that are at least as large and as powerful as those in the UAE," the White House said. "The agreement also contains historic commitments by the UAE to further align their national security regulations with the United States, including strong protections to prevent the diversion of US-origin technology." Central to the agreement announced on Thursday is the 10 square mile (25.9 square kilometre) AI campus in Abu Dhabi with 5 gigawatts of power capacity for AI data centres, the US Commerce Department said. The campus will be built by Abu Dhabi state-backed firm G42, but US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick said in a release that "American companies will operate the data centers and offer American-managed cloud services throughout the region". The US factsheets also described chip company Qualcomm working on an AI-related engineering centre and that Amazon Web Services, the cloud unit of the tech and commerce company, would work with local partners on cybersecurity and fostering cloud adoption. The US has pursued protectionist policies for years to curb China's access to advanced semiconductors, including ensuring the chips do not end up in the country via third parties. Regulations are easing under Trump, whose AI czar David Sacks said in Riyadh on Tuesday that the Biden administration's export controls were "never intended to capture friends, allies, strategic partners". Granting the UAE more access to the most advanced chips, manufactured by firms such as Nvidia, marks a major turnaround. "This shift enables (the UAE) to deepen its technology partnership with the US while still preserving trade ties with China," said Mohammed Soliman, senior fellow at the Middle East Institute. "It doesn't mean abandoning China but it does mean recalibrating tech strategy to align with US standards and protocols where it matters most: compute, cloud, and chip supply chains," he said. AI was top of the agenda when Bin Zayed Al Nahyan visited Washington in December in the final days of Biden's presidency. G42 and MGX, the state-linked vehicles picked to drive the UAE's AI investment push, have also invested in US firms such as OpenAI and Elon Musk's xAI, while Microsoft last year agreed to invest $1.5bn in G42. The two companies said the deal was backed by security assurances, and under US pressure, G42 had previously begun ripping out Chinese hardware it was using and sold off Chinese investments. Still, major Chinese firms like Huawei and Alibaba Cloud are present in the UAE, and organised AI chip smuggling to China was tracked out of countries including Malaysia, Singapore and the UAE, a source told Reuters in February.

Donald Trump wraps up Gulf tour with €179 billion in UAE deals

US President Donald Trump secured €179 billion ($200 billion) worth of deals with the United Arab Emirates, including plans for the world's largest artificial intelligence (AI) campus outside the United States, located in Abu Dhabi. The White House announced that US President Donald Trump secured $200 billion (€179 billion) deals with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) during the final stop of his Persian Gulf tour. The deals prominently feature artificial intelligence (AI), alongside investments in aviation, energy, and other industrial sectors. Following $600 billion (€536bn) in deals reached with Saudi Arabia and $243 billion (€217 billion) in agreements with Qatar, Trump concludes his Middle East trip with a total of $1.4 trillion (€1.3 trillion) in investment pledges. Trump's Gulf visit can be seen as a win-win venture. While the US president seeks foreign investment to help revive domestic manufacturing, the three Gulf states are keen to accelerate AI development to diversify their economies away from oil dependency. UAE to build largest AI campus outside the US The centrepiece of the UAE deals is a 10-square-mile AI campus in Abu Dhabi, with a 5-gigawatt capacity for AI data centres. The facility will be built by G42, the UAE-based AI firm, in partnership with several US companies. "The new AI campus, the largest outside of the US, will host American hyperscalers and large enterprises, enabling regional compute capabilities while serving the Global South," stated the US Department of Commerce (DOC). According to Bloomberg, Trump was weighing a deal allowing the UAE to import up to 500,000 of Nvidia's high-performance H100 GPUs annually through 2027. One-fifth of these chips will be allocated to G42. On Tuesday, Trump also concluded an $80 billion (€71 billion) AI investment deal with Saudi Arabia, which helped lift Nvidia and other major US tech stocks. However, some US officials remain concerned that China could gain indirect access to advanced American AI chips via Gulf states, even though the agreements include safeguards. "The UAE is committed to safeguarding advanced AI technologies by implementing stringent measures to prevent diversion and ensure controlled access," the DOC stated in a media release. "This agreement is a major milestone in achieving President Trump's vision for US AI dominance," said US Secretary of Commerce Howard W. Lutnick. UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who unveiled the agreement alongside Trump, described the deal as "a testament to the ongoing collaboration between our countries in artificial intelligence." Other major deals Boeing and GE Aerospace also signed an agreement with Etihad Airways, the UAE's national carrier. Etihad will commit to a $14.5 billion (€13.1 billion) investment to purchase 28 widebody aircraft, including 787 and 777X models powered by GE engines. Both companies were among the biggest winners from Trump's regional tour. Just a day earlier, Boeing signed a $96 billion order with Qatar Airways. Boeing shares climbed to a 52-week high, while GE Aerospace shares hit their highest level since 2001 by market close on 15 May. In the energy sector, US giants including ExxonMobil Corp., Occidental Petroleum Corp., and EOG Resources Inc. will partner with the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) to expand oil and gas production in a deal valued at $60 billion (€54 billion). Additional agreements include projects with Emirates Global Aluminum for aluminium smelting and gallium production.

Trump caps Gulf tour in Abu Dhabi with dizzying investment pledges

Abu Dhabi (AFP) - US President Donald Trump on Friday capped off a Gulf tour in Abu Dhabi that has seen the securing of multi-billion-dollar deals, a $1.4 trillion investment pledge from the UAE, as well as historic overtures to Syria and renewed optimism over an Iran nuclear deal. On his first foreign tour of his second term, Trump oversaw a $200 billion order from Qatar Airways for Boeing jets and a $600 billion investment from Saudi Arabia -- including nearly $142 billion in weapons, which the White House described as the largest-ever arms deal. Trump also expressed optimism over reaching a new agreement with Iran over its nuclear programme, and in a seismic diplomatic shift, decided to lift decades-long sanctions on Syria. In Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, Trump was greeted with lavish welcomes and hailed the three Arab leaders. He said that he and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman "like each other a lot" -- in sharp contrast with the frosty Saudi-US relations that marked the start of Joe Biden's term. UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed lauded a strong partnership between the two countries that grew under Trump's leadership when he vowed to invest $1.4 trillion in the US economy over 10 years. Lifting of sanctions On Friday morning, Trump is set to attend a business roundtable and later tour the Abrahamic Family House, according to local media. The complex opened in 2023 and houses a mosque, church and the country's first official synagogue with the aim of promoting interfaith co-existence in the Muslim nation. In 2020, the UAE normalised ties with Israel as part of the US-brokered Abraham Accords under Trump's first administration, which also saw Israel establish diplomatic ties with Bahrain and Morocco. On Thursday, he held talks with his counterpart President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed after touring the opulent Sheikh Zayed Grand mosque. Earlier in the trip, the White House said that Saudi company DataVolt will invest $20 billion in artificial intelligence-related sites in the United States, while tech firms including Google will invest in both countries. Trump also became the first US president in 25 years to meet a Syrian leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, after removing sanctions on the war-torn country following appeals from Saudi's Prince Mohammed and Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan. - AI ambitions- There was no announcement of a breakthrough on the Gaza war, which Qatar has been a key mediator, with Trump repeating claims that Washington should "take" Gaza and turn it into a "freedom zone". But Trump said a deal was close on Iran's nuclear programme that would avert military action, sending oil prices tumbling. He said the trip had resulted in securing "trillions of dollars" but the Gulf leaders' largesse also stirred controversy, with Qatar offering Trump a luxury aircraft ahead of his visit for presidential and then personal use, in what Trump's Democratic opponents charged was blatant corruption. English-language Emirati newspaper The National has reported that the US and UAE were working on announcing an AI and tech partnership during Trump's visit. The UAE is seeking to become a leader in technology and especially artificial intelligence to help diversify its oil-reliant economy. But these ambitions hinge on access to advanced US technologies, including AI chips that were under stringent, restricted export -- which the UAE president's brother and spy chief Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed reportedly lobbied for during a Washington visit in March. Earlier this week, Trump rescinded further controls on AI chips, which were imposed by his predecessor to make it harder for China to access advanced technology.

UAE, US Sign Agreement to Build Largest AI Campus in Abu Dhabi | AIM

The AI campus will utilise nuclear, solar and gas energy to reduce carbon emissions. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the US have signed a deal for the former country to build one of the largest AI campuses outside the US. The US previously restricted this deal due to concerns that China could have access to the technology. The US Department of Commerce states that the UAE-US AI campus will have a capacity of 5GW for AI data centres located in Abu Dhabi, establishing a regional platform that enables US hyperscalers to offer low-latency services to nearly half of the world's population residing within 3,200 km of the UAE. Upon completion, the facility will utilise nuclear, solar, and gas energy to reduce carbon emissions and include a science park to foster advancements in AI innovation. The UAE also seeks to protect its advanced AI technologies by enforcing strict measures to prevent unauthorised access and ensure regulated technology use. The two countries will collaborate to improve Know-Your-Customer procedures to manage access to computing resources designated for US hyperscalers and authorised cloud service providers. US Secretary of Commerce Howard W. Lutnick said, "[The agreement] promotes major investment in advanced semiconductors and data centres across the U.S. and the UAE. American companies will operate the data centres in the UAE and offer American-managed cloud services throughout the region. The agreement also contains strong security guarantees to prevent diversion of US technology." As stated by the White House, the US will promote enhanced technological collaboration with the UAE, which includes initiating a 1GW AI data centre as a part of a proposed AI technology hub. This initiative aims to address regional computational needs while adhering to strict US security protocols and implementing measures for the responsible deployment of AI infrastructure, both within the UAE and globally. Sources indicated that this development would enhance the Gulf nation's access to sophisticated AI chips, as reported by Reuters. The news agency noted that NVIDIA's Chief Executive, Jensen Huang, was seen in televised coverage on Thursday discussing matters with US President Donald Trump and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. On Thursday, The Washington Post cited anonymous sources as saying that OpenAI engaged in detailed discussions with two leading companies in the UAE, G42 and MGX, regarding a significant deal that would allow the San Francisco-based firm to set up data centres and advance its technology within the nation. In exchange, OpenAI would receive fresh investments that would facilitate the establishment of US data centres in collaboration with a group of partners.

Trump signs AI data-center agreement with UAE

The Trump administration and the United Arab Emirates are partnering to build a massive data center in Abu Dhabi that is expected to be the largest artificial intelligence campus outside the United States. The AI campus, unveiled during President Trump's visit to the UAE, will have 5 gigawatts of capacity and will eventually stretch across 10 square miles, the Commerce Department announced Thursday. The data center at Qasr Al Watan will serve as a regional platform for U.S. hyperscalers, which are technology companies that provide cloud computing and data management services. These companies will be able to offer low-latency services to nearly half of the global population resigning within 2,000 miles of the UAE, the Commerce Department. "In the UAE, American companies will operate the data centers and offer American-managed cloud services throughout the region," Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said in a statement Thursday. "By extending the world's leading American tech stack to an important strategic partner in the region, this agreement is a major milestone in achieving President Trump's vision for U.S. AI dominance." It is one of a flurry of AI-related deals the Trump administration signed this week with the Gulf states. The Trump administration has made American AI dominance a key goal of its technology policy, though some have concerns these deals sidestepped national security concerns. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) slammed Trump's support for deals to sell advanced U.S. chip technology to Saudi Arabia and the UAE on Thursday. Schumer said Trump would "greenlight the sale of the most sensitive U.S. chip technology in exchange for vague promises of more foreign investment." "This deal could very well be dangerous because we have no clarity on how the Saudis and Emiratis will prevent the Chinese Communist Party, the Chinese government, the Chinese manufacturing establishment from getting their hands on these chips," Schumer said in a speech on the Senate floor Thursday. Lutnick noted the data center agreement includes "strong security guarantees" to avoid U.S. technology being diverted from their intended locations. Reports of smuggled U.S.-made chips into China have prompted growing concerns in recent months that U.S. technology is inadvertently ending up in the hands of foreign actors. A bipartisan group of House lawmakers introduced a bill Thursday that would require AI chips to have location verification services and mandate chip exporters to report if the technology was diverted. Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), one of the Senate's fiercest China hawks, introduced a similar bill last week. The White House said Thursday the U.S. and UAE also signed an AI agreement to support the $1.4 trillion "investment framework," which was first announced in March. As part of the deal, the UAE committed to investing, building or financing U.S. data centers "that are at least as large and as powerful as those in the UAE." The White House emphasized the UAE also committed to further aligning its national security regulations with the United States, including protections against the diversion of U.S. technology.

US Agrees to Sell UAE Advanced AI Chips Made in America, Trump Says

Reuters earlier this week reported that the U.S. had a preliminary deal with the UAE allowing the nation to import 500,000 of Nvidia's most advanced AI chips per year, starting in 2025. The U.S. and the United Arab Emirates have struck a deal to allow Abu Dhabi to buy advanced American-made chips, U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday. It's "a very big contract," Trump said on the last day of his four-day trip to the Middle East. Reuters earlier this week reported that the U.S. had a preliminary deal with UAE allowing the nation to import 500,000 of Nvidia's (NVDA) most advanced AI chips per year, starting in 2025. Nvidia declined to comment on the report. The announcement of the UAE deal comes just days after Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) agreed to supply semiconductors to Saudi AI startup Humain. Trump announced a slew of other agreements during his trip, including a plan for Saudi Arabia to buy $142 billion worth of military equipment and services from U.S. defense contractors and a large order of Boeing (BA) aircraft by Qatar Airways. The White House didn't respond to a request for comment.

Deals take centre stage in Trump's Gulf visit: $80 bn tech push, $20 bn AI data centres & more

Donald Trump secured a $600 billion investment commitment from Saudi Arabia. This happened during his Gulf states tour. Several deals were unveiled in Riyadh, Doha, and Abu Dhabi. These deals focused on artificial intelligence and emerging technologies. Amazon, AMD, and other companies announced significant investments. These investments are for AI infrastructure and data centers. U.S. President Donald Trump secured a $600 billion commitment from Saudi Arabia on Tuesday to invest in the United States after the oil power accorded him a gala welcome at the start of a tour of Gulf states. A slate of high-profile business deals across Riyadh, Doha and Abu Dhabi were being unveiled this week, with artificial intelligence and emerging technologies taking centre stage as Gulf nations race to secure a foothold in the global AI economy. Here is an overview of major deals and announcements made on the sidelines of Trump's Gulf visit: * Amazon Web Services and Saudi Arabia's AI startup Humain announced plans to invest $5 billion-plus in a strategic partnership to build an "AI Zone" in the kingdom. * U.S. chip firm AMD and Humain announced plans to build AI infrastructure that will see them invest up to $10 billion to deploy 500 megawatts of AI computing capacity over the next five years. * Saudi Arabian DataVolt plans to invest $20 billion in AI data centres and energy infrastructure in the United States. * Google , DataVolt, Oracle, Salesforce , AMD, and Uber are committing to invest $80 billion in technologies in both countries. * Construction consulting firms Hill International, Jacobs, Parsons, and AECOM are building key infrastructure projects such as King Salman International Airport, King Salman Park, The Vault, Qiddiya City, and more, totalling $2 billion in U.S. services exports. * Additional major exports include GE Vernova's gas turbines and energy solutions totalling $14.2 billion and Boeing 737-8 passenger aircraft for AviLease totalling $4.8 billion. * Healthcare firm Shamekh IV Solutions will be investing $5.8 billion, including a plant in Michigan to launch a high-capacity IV fluid facility. * Hassana Investment Company and Franklin Templeton signed a memorandum of understanding valued at $150 million to explore a strategic partnership related to investments in Saudi private credit opportunities. * Saudi Aramco will sign on Tuesday memorandums of understanding with U.S. liquefied natural gas producer NextDecade and utility firm Sempra, Aramco's chief executive said. * U.S. chip giant Nvidia and Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund-owned AI startup Humain announced a partnership. * U.S.-based investment platform Burkhan World Investments said it signed memorandums of understanding with Saudi partners, totaling $15 billion in new investment commitments.

UAE to build biggest AI campus outside US in Trump deal, bypassing past China worries

The countries did not say which AI chips from Nvidia or other companies could be included in UAE data centres, but sources had said a deal would give the Gulf country expanded access to advanced AI chips. Nvidia Chief Executive Jensen Huang was seen in televised footage conversing with US President Donald Trump and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan at a palace in Abu Dhabi on Thursday.The United Arab Emirates and the United States have signed an agreement for the Gulf country to build the largest artificial intelligence campus outside the United States, a type of deal that previously faced restrictions over Washington's concerns that China could access the technology. The countries did not say which AI chips from Nvidia or other companies could be included in UAE data centres, but sources had said a deal would give the Gulf country expanded access to advanced AI chips. Nvidia Chief Executive Jensen Huang was seen in televised footage conversing with US President Donald Trump and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan at a palace in Abu Dhabi on Thursday. Such a long-coveted deal, finalised during Trump's visit to Abu Dhabi on Thursday, is a major win for the UAE, which has been trying to balance its relations with its longtime ally the US and its largest trading partner China. It reflects the Trump administration's confidence that the chips can be managed securely, in part by requiring data centres be managed by US companies. The UAE, a major oil producer, has been spending billions of dollars in a push to become a global AI player. But its ties to China had limited access to US chips under former President Joe Biden. The AI agreement "includes the UAE committing to invest in, build, or finance US data centres that are at least as large and as powerful as those in the UAE," the White House said. "The agreement also contains historic commitments by the UAE to further align their national security regulations with the United States, including strong protections to prevent the diversion of US-origin technology." Reuters had earlier reported that the two countries had finalised a technology framework agreement and that it would require commitments on both sides to the security of the technology. The UAE could be allowed to import 500,000 of Nvidia's most advanced AI chips per year starting in 2025, sources have told Reuters. Nvidia declined to comment. The UAE foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Central to the agreement announced on Thursday is the 10 square mile (25.9 square kilometre) AI campus in Abu Dhabi with 5 gigawatts of power capacity for AI data centres, the US Commerce Department said. "That's bigger than all other major AI infrastructure announcements we've seen so far," Rand Corporation analyst Lennart Heim said on X. That is enough power to support 2.5 million of Nvidia's top-line B200 chips, he calculated. The campus will be built by Abu Dhabi state-backed firm G42, but US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick said in a release that "American companies will operate the data centers and offer American-managed cloud services throughout the region." The US fact sheets also described chip company Qualcomm working on an AI-related engineering centre and that Amazon Web Services, the cloud unit of the tech and commerce company, would work with local partners on cybersecurity and fostering cloud adoption. EASING RELATIONS The US has pursued protectionist policies for years to curb China's access to advanced semiconductors, including ensuring the chips do not end up in the country via third parties. Regulations are easing under Trump, whose AI czar David Sacks said in Riyadh on Tuesday that the Biden administration's export controls were "never intended to capture friends, allies, strategic partners". Granting the UAE more access to the most advanced chips, manufactured by firms such as Nvidia, marks a major turnaround. "This shift enables (the UAE) to deepen its technology partnership with the US while still preserving trade ties with China," said Mohammed Soliman, senior fellow at the Middle East Institute. "It doesn't mean abandoning China but it does mean recalibrating tech strategy to align with US standards and protocols where it matters most: compute, cloud, and chip supply chains," he said. AI was top of the agenda when UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan visited Washington in December in the final days of Joe Biden's presidency. G42 and MGX, the state-linked vehicles picked to drive the UAE's AI investment push, have also invested in US firms such as OpenAI and Elon Musk's xAI, while Microsoft last year agreed to invest $1.5 billion in G42. The two companies said the deal was backed by security assurances, and under US pressure, G42 had previously begun ripping out Chinese hardware it was using and sold off Chinese investments. Still, major Chinese firms like Huawei and Alibaba Cloud are present in the UAE, and organised AI chip smuggling to China was tracked out of countries including Malaysia, Singapore and the UAE, a source told Reuters in February.

UAE to invest $1.4 trillion in US over 10 years, says Sheikh Mohamed in show of strong Trump-era ties

Sheikh Mohamed of the UAE announced a $1.4 trillion investment plan in the US over the next decade, highlighting a strong partnership during President Trump's Gulf tour. The investments will focus on technology, AI, and energy sectors. Trump's trip also included significant business deals with Saudi Arabia and Qatar, alongside diplomatic efforts regarding Syria and AI cooperation with the UAE.The president of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, on Thursday announced an ambitious plan to invest $1.4 trillion in the United States over the next decade, underscoring what he called a "strong partnership" with Washington that has flourished under President Donald Trump, reported AFP. Speaking alongside Trump at the presidential palace in Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohamed said the investments would span critical sectors such as technology, artificial intelligence, and energy. "The UAE's plan to invest $1.4 trillion in the United States over the next 10 years is a testament to the strength of our strategic relationship," the UAE president said. His remarks came during the final leg of President Trump's four-day tour of the Gulf region, which has seen a wave of business and defense agreements with several countries. Earlier in the day, Trump visited the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, the largest US military installation in the Middle East. Addressing American troops there, he announced that Qatar would invest $10 billion to upgrade the facility in the coming years, according to Reuters. Trump also confirmed that Qatar had signed $42 billion worth of defense procurement deals on Wednesday. The trip has already yielded major business commitments, including a pledge by Saudi Arabia to invest $600 billion in the US and an agreement by Qatar Airways to purchase up to 210 Boeing widebody aircraft. As part of efforts to position itself as a global AI hub, the UAE has also reached a preliminary agreement with the US to import 500,000 of Nvidia's most advanced AI chips annually, starting this year, Reuters reported. These chips are expected to power large-scale data centers that will be central to the UAE's artificial intelligence ambitions. However, the potential deal has sparked security concerns within some parts of the US government, particularly over fears of technology diversion. The agreement remains under review and may be subject to changes. Trump's Gulf tour has also included high-level diplomatic moves. On Tuesday, he made a surprise announcement on lifting longstanding sanctions on Syria and later met Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa. The US president urged Sharaa to begin normalizing relations with Israel. Trump is expected to conclude his Gulf trip after final meetings with Sheikh Mohamed and other top Emirati officials in Abu Dhabi. AI cooperation is expected to dominate the agenda, as the UAE seeks Washington's support to become a key player in the emerging global technology race.

Trump's Saudi Arabia visit unlocks $600bn in investment deals

A slate of high-profile business deals across Riyadh, Doha and Abu Dhabi are being unveiled this week US President Donald Trump addresses the audience at the King Abdul Aziz International Conference Center while attending a Saudi-U.S. business investment forum, on May 13, 2025, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Credit: Getty Images) US President Donald Trump secured a $600bn commitment from Saudi Arabia on Tuesday to invest in the United States after the Kingdom accorded him a gala welcome at the start of a tour of Gulf states. A slate of high-profile business deals across Riyadh, Doha and Abu Dhabi are being unveiled this week, with artificial intelligence and emerging technologies taking centre stage as Gulf nations race to secure a foothold in the global AI economy. The US also agreed to sell Saudi Arabia an arms package worth nearly $142bn, according to a White House fact sheet that called it "the largest defense cooperation agreement" Washington has ever done. The agreement covers deals with more than a dozen US defense companies in areas including air and missile defense, air force and space advancement, maritime security and communications, the fact sheet said. "Today we hope for investment opportunities worth $600bn, including deals worth $300 billion that were signed during this forum," the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said in a speech during a U.S.-Saudi Investment Forum session held in Riyadh on the occasion of Trump's visit. "We will work in the coming months on the second phase to complete deals and raise it to $1 trillion," he said. "I really believe we like each other a lot," Trump said during a meeting with the crown prince, Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler. Here is an overview of major deals and announcements made on the sidelines of Trump's Gulf visit: Amazon Web Services and Saudi Arabia's AI startup Humain announced plans to invest over $5bn in a strategic partnership to build an "AI Zone" in the kingdom. US chip firm AMD and Humain announced plans to build AI infrastructure that will see them invest up to $10bn to deploy 500 megawatts of AI computing capacity over the next five years. Saudi Arabian DataVolt plans to invest $20bn in AI data centres and energy infrastructure in the United States. Google, DataVolt, Oracle, Salesforce, AMD, and Uber are committing to invest $80bn in technologies in both countries. Construction consulting firms Hill International, Jacobs, Parsons, and AECOM are building key infrastructure projects such as King Salman International Airport, King Salman Park, The Vault, Qiddiya City, and more, totalling $2bn in US services exports. Additional major exports include GE Vernova's gas turbines and energy solutions totalling $14.2bn, and Boeing 737-8 passenger aircraft for AviLease totalling $4.8bn. Healthcare firm Shamekh IV Solutions will be investing $5.8bn, including a plant in Michigan to launch a high-capacity IV fluid facility. Hassana Investment Company and Franklin Templeton signed a memorandum of understanding valued at $150m to explore a strategic partnership related to investments in Saudi private credit opportunities. Saudi Aramco will sign on Tuesday memorandums of understanding with US liquefied natural gas producer NextDecade and utility firm Sempra, Aramco's chief executive said. US chip giant Nvidia and Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund-owned AI startup Humain announced a partnership. US-based investment platform Burkhan World Investments said it signed memorandums of understanding with Saudi partners, totalling $15bn in new investment commitments.

Phase 1 of new UAE-US 5GW AI campus launches in Abu Dhabi

Image: WAM The UAE's President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and US President Donald Trump witnessed the launch of the new UAE-US 5GW AI campus in Abu Dhabi, the largest such facility outside the US, as part of a deepening technology partnership between the two countries. According to a report published by state news agency, WAM, the campus will host US hyperscalers and large enterprises with regional compute resources targeting nearly half the global population. The facility will provide 5GW of capacity for AI data centres powered by nuclear, solar, and gas sources to reduce carbon emissions. It will also feature a science park dedicated to AI innovation. G42 to build AI campus The campus will be built by UAE-based G42 and operated in partnership with several US companies. It follows the launch of the US-UAE AI Acceleration Partnership, a government-led initiative aimed at expanding cooperation in AI and advanced technologies. "This campus is a testament to the ongoing collaboration between our countries in artificial intelligence," said Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Ruler of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Technology Council (AIATC). "It is an expression of the UAE's commitment to pioneering innovation and fostering global collaboration... delivering transformative benefits for humanity," he added. AI campus to offer access to US hyperscalers, approved cloud service firms The facility will be accessible exclusively to US hyperscalers and approved cloud service providers, with both governments jointly overseeing access and regulation of compute resources. According to the WAM report, US Secretary of Commerce Howard W Lutnick called the announcement "a historic Middle Eastern partnership on AI" and said it would spur major investments in semiconductors and data centres across both countries. "American companies will operate the data centres and offer American-managed cloud services throughout the region," Lutnick said. "This agreement is a major milestone in achieving President Trump's vision for US AI dominance." The UAE has taken an early lead in AI development. In 2017, it became the first country to appoint a federal Minister of Artificial Intelligence, and later launched the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence, the world's first graduate-level AI university. The UAE Strategy for Artificial Intelligence, also launched in 2017, aims to integrate AI into key sectors such as education, healthcare, transport, and energy.

Trump: UAE on a path to acquire most advanced US AI chips

It reflects the Trump administration's confidence that the chips can be managed securely, in part by requiring data centres be managed by US companies. U.S. President Donald J. Trump signs the guestbook as UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan looks on and gives a thumbs up gesture after a meeting at Qasr al Watan (Palace of the Nation) on May 15, 2025, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. President Donald Trump said on Friday the UAE and the US had agreed to create a path for the GCC country to buy some of the most advanced artificial intelligence semiconductors from US companies, a major win for Abu Dhabi's efforts to become a global AI hub. Trump also wrapped his Gulf tour of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE with a pledge by Abu Dhabi - the UAE's capital and richest emirate - to hike the value of its energy investments in the US to $440bn in the next decade. He pledged on Thursday to strengthen US ties with the UAE, announcing deals totalling over $200 billion, including a $14.5bn commitment from Etihad Airways to invest in 28 American-made Boeing aircraft. "We work together and the money that's made here comes back to us," Trump told Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed during a press conference in Abu Dhabi, touting the business relationship between the US and UAE. "We've made it work, and you know they were being wooed by others. But there's no more wooing, I think we're in pretty good shape," he said. "Absolutely," the crown prince said. The AI deal, finalised on Thursday, is a boost for the UAE, which has been trying to balance its relations with its longtime ally the US and its largest trading partner China. It reflects the Trump administration's confidence that the chips can be managed securely, in part by requiring data centres be managed by US companies. "Yesterday the two countries also agreed to create a path for UAE to buy some of the world's most advanced AI semiconductors from American companies, a very big contract," Trump said. "This will generate billions and billions of dollars in business and accelerate the UAE's plans to become a really major player in artificial intelligence," he added. Energy Investments The UAE energy investment commitment was announced during a presentation by Sultan Al Jaber, Abu Dhabi state energy giant ADNOC's chief executive, to Trump during the last stage of his regional tour that has drawn huge financial commitments from the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. The enterprise value of UAE investments in the US energy sector will be boosted to $440bn by 2035 from $70bn now, Al Jaber told Trump, adding U.S. energy firms will also invest in the UAE. "Our partners have committed new investments worth $60bn in upstream oil and gas, as well as new and unconventional opportunities," Jaber said in front of a slide showing projects in the UAE under the logos of US companies ExxonMobil, Oxy and EOG Resources. XRG, the international investment arm of ADNOC, is seeking to make a significant investment in US natural gas, Jaber, who is also XRG's executive chairman and minister of industry and advanced technology, has said. Already in March, when senior UAE officials met Trump, the UAE had committed to a 10-year, $1.4tn investment framework in the US in sectors including energy, AI and manufacturing to deepen reciprocal ties. "We're making great progress for the $1.4 (trillion) that UAE has announced it intends to spend in the United States," Trump said on his last stop on a Gulf tour that has focused, at least publicly, on investment deal. However, Trump did engage in some diplomacy on his whirlwind meetings with some of the world's biggest energy producers. He met with Syria's new interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Riyadh and said he would order the lifting of sanctions on Syria at the behest of Saudi Arabia's crown prince, a major US policy shift.

Trump strikes 'historic' deal with UAE to build biggest AI campus...

The United Arab Emirates and the United States have signed an agreement for the Gulf country to build the largest artificial intelligence campus outside the United States, a type of deal that previously faced restrictions over Washington's concerns that China could access the technology. The countries did not say which AI chips from Nvidia or other companies could be included in UAE data centers, but sources had said a deal would give the Gulf country expanded access to advanced AI chips. Nvidia Chief Executive Jensen Huang was seen in televised footage conversing with President Trump and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan at a palace in Abu Dhabi on Thursday. Such a long-coveted deal, finalized during Trump's visit to Abu Dhabi on Thursday, is a major win for the UAE, which has been trying to balance its relations with its longtime ally the US and its largest trading partner China. It reflects the Trump administration's confidence that the chips can be managed securely, in part by requiring data centers be managed by US companies. The UAE, a major oil producer, has been spending billions of dollars in a push to become a global AI player. But its ties to China had limited access to US chips under former President Joe Biden. The AI agreement "includes the UAE committing to invest in, build, or finance US data centers that are at least as large and as powerful as those in the UAE," the White House said. "The agreement also contains historic commitments by the UAE to further align their national security regulations with the United States, including strong protections to prevent the diversion of US-origin technology." Reuters had earlier reported that the two countries had finalized a technology framework agreement and that it would require commitments on both sides to the security of the technology. The UAE could be allowed to import 500,000 of Nvidia's most advanced AI chips per year starting in 2025, sources have told Reuters. Nvidia declined to comment. The UAE foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Central to the agreement announced on Thursday is the 10 square mile (25.9 square kilometer) AI campus in Abu Dhabi with 5 gigawatts of power capacity for AI data centers, the Commerce Department said. "That's bigger than all other major AI infrastructure announcements we've seen so far," Rand Corporation analyst Lennart Heim said on X. That is enough power to support 2.5 million of Nvidia's top-line B200 chips, he calculated. The campus will be built by Abu Dhabi state-backed firm G42, but Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick said in a release that "American companies will operate the data centers and offer American-managed cloud services throughout the region." The US fact sheets also described chip company Qualcomm working on an AI-related engineering center and that Amazon Web Services, the cloud unit of the tech and commerce company, would work with local partners on cybersecurity and fostering cloud adoption. The US has pursued protectionist policies for years to curb China's access to advanced semiconductors, including ensuring the chips do not end up in the country via third parties. Regulations are easing under Trump, whose AI czar David Sacks said in Riyadh on Tuesday that the Biden administration's export controls were "never intended to capture friends, allies, strategic partners." Granting the UAE more access to the most advanced chips, manufactured by firms such as Nvidia, marks a major turnaround. "This shift enables (the UAE) to deepen its technology partnership with the US while still preserving trade ties with China," said Mohammed Soliman, senior fellow at the Middle East Institute. "It doesn't mean abandoning China but it does mean recalibrating tech strategy to align with US standards and protocols where it matters most: compute, cloud, and chip supply chains," he said. AI was top of the agenda when UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan visited Washington in December in the final days of Joe Biden's presidency. G42 and MGX, the state-linked vehicles picked to drive the UAE's AI investment push, have also invested in US firms such as OpenAI and Elon Musk's xAI, while Microsoft last year agreed to invest $1.5 billion in G42. The two companies said the deal was backed by security assurances, and under US pressure, G42 had previously begun ripping out Chinese hardware it was using and sold off Chinese investments. Still, major Chinese firms like Huawei and Alibaba Cloud are present in the UAE, and organized AI chip smuggling to China was tracked out of countries including Malaysia, Singapore and the UAE, a source told Reuters in February.

Trump reveals path to allow Abu Dhabi to import US-made AI chips

The US and United Arab Emirates are partnering on a path to allow Abu Dhabi to purchase advanced American-made semiconductors for its artificial intelligence projects, President Donald Trump said on Friday. "Yesterday the two countries also agreed to create a path for the UAE to buy some of the word's most advanced AI semiconductors from American companies, it's a very big contract," Trump said on the last day of his four-day, headline-making trip to the Middle East. Trump has claimed the trip resulted in deals worth hundreds of billions of dollars. The terms of this latest agreement with the UAE are unknown, but the "very big contract" Trump mentioned could be a preliminary agreement earlier reported by Reuters that would allow Abu Dhabi to import 500,000 Nvidia H100 chips each year. The White House did not immediately respond to The Post's request for comment. It would help speed up Abu Dhabi's mission to create massive data centers, an effort that has been slowed by chip export curbs due to national security concerns. The Trump administration is planning to roll back some of the strict restrictions put in place by predecessor Joe Biden, which limited exports even to US allies. However, there are concerns that lifting these rules could make it easier for China to get a hold of advanced US semiconductors. The US government has banned the export of Nvidia H100 chips to China since 2022. It further restricted exports earlier this year with a rule change that makes it more difficult for Nvidia to send H20 chips to China - semiconductors that were specifically designed to pass those 2022 regulations. Meanwhile, the White House on Thursday announced a deal with the UAE to build a massive data center in Abu Dhabi, slated to be the largest such facility outside of the US. Emirati technology firm G42 will lead the project, partnering with several US companies on the campus, according to the Commerce Department. The data center will cover 10 square miles with a 5-gigawatt capacity. The White House did not mention specific US firms, though several US tech CEOs joined Trump on his lavish Middle East trip, including Tesla's Elon Musk, Nvidia's Jensen Huang, OpenAI's Sam Altman and SoftBank's Masayoshi Son. Cisco President Jeetu Patel also accompanied the president on the trip, along with Palantir's Alex Karp and Amazon's Andy Jassy.

Deals take centre stage in Trump's Gulf visit

RIYADH/DUBAI (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump secured a $600 billion commitmentfrom Saudi Arabia on Tuesday to invest in the United States after the oil power rolled out the red carpet for him at the start of a tour of Gulf states. A slate of high-profile business deals across Riyadh, Doha and Abu Dhabi were being unveiled this week, with artificial intelligence and emerging technologies taking centre stage as Gulf nations race to secure a foothold in the global AI economy. Here is an overview of major deals and announcements made on the sidelines of Trump's Gulf visit: * Saudi Arabian DataVolt plans to invest $20 billion in AI data centres and energy infrastructure in the United States. * Google , DataVolt, Oracle, Salesforce, AMD, and Uber are committing to invest $80 billion in technologies in both countries. * Construction consulting firms Hill International, Jacobs, Parsons, and AECOM are building key infrastructure projects such as King Salman International Airport, King Salman Park, The Vault, Qiddiya City, and more, totalling $2 billion in U.S. services exports. * Additional major exports include GE Vernova's gas turbines and energy solutions totalling $14.2 billion and Boeing 737-8 passenger aircraft for AviLease totalling $4.8 billion. * Healthcare firm Shamekh IV Solutions will be investing $5.8 billion, including a plant in Michigan to launch a high-capacity IV fluid facility. * Hassana Investment Company and Franklin Templeton signed a memorandum of understanding valued at $150 million to explore a strategic partnership related to investments in Saudi private credit opportunities. * Saudi Aramco will sign on Tuesday memorandums of understanding with U.S. liquefied natural gas producer NextDecade and utility firm Sempra, Aramco's chief executive said. * U.S. chip giant Nvidia and Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund-owned AI startup Humain announced a partnership. * U.S.-based investment platform Burkhan World Investments said it signed memorandums of understanding with Saudi partners, totaling $15 billion in new investment commitments. (Compiled by Manya Saini and Hadeel Al Sayegh; Editing by Alex Richardson)

Trump on tour: flurry of new deals signed on UAE visit

STORY: Donald Trump's Gulf tour took him to the United Arab Emirates on Thursday. And the visit was marked by the signing of more deals, valued in all at $200 billion. That followed a pledge by the UAE in March to invest some $1.4 trillion in the U.S. over ten years. Trump hailed that deal in a meeting with country President Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan: "And all I could say is thank you very much. We will work very hard to deserve it." Among the deals announced Thursday was another order for Boeing. UAE airline Etihad said it would buy 28 big jets from the aerospace giant, including 787s and 777s. That followed news of Boeing's biggest-ever order for widebody jets a day before, when Trump visited Qatar. Also finalized during Trump's visit was a plan for the largest AI campus outside the U.S., to be built in the UAE. Reuters sources said the deal would give the country expanded access to AI chips from Nvidia. Company boss Jensen Huang was seen conversing with Trump at the palace on Thursday. A White House factsheet said other deals included a partnership between U.S. and UAE oil firms to expand oil and gas production. It valued that agreement at $60 billion. However, U.S. lawmakers including Bernie Sanders on Thursday sought to block further arms sales to the country. That's over allegations that UAE forces are involved in Sudan's civil war.

UAE and US agree on path for Abu Dhabi to buy most advanced AI chips, Trump says

DUBAI (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday the United Arab Emirates and the United States have agreed to create a path for the Gulf country to buy some of the most advanced artificial intelligence semiconductors from U.S. companies. The deal, which was finalised on Thursday during Trump's visit to Abu Dhabi, is a major win for the UAE, which has been trying to balance its relations with its longtime ally the U.S. and its largest trading partner China. It reflects the Trump administration's confidence that the chips can be managed securely, in part by requiring data centres be managed by U.S. companies. "We're making great progress for the $1.4 (trillion) that UAE has announced it intends to spend in the United States," Trump said, speaking during the last stop of a multi-day tour of Gulf states that included stops in Saudi Arabia and Qatar. "Yesterday the two countries also agreed to create a path for UAE to buy some of the world's most advanced AI semiconductors from American companies, a very big contract," he said. "This will generate billions and billions of dollars in business and accelerate the UAE's plans to become a really major player in artificial intelligence," Trump added. The UAE in March committed to a 10-year, $1.4 trillion investment framework in the United States in sectors including energy, AI and manufacturing. (Reporting by Nayera Abdallah and Yousef Saba, Writing by Federico Maccioni, Editing by Timothy Heritage and Ros Russell)

Trump wraps up Gulf tour with AI and energy deals in UAE

DUBAI (Reuters) - President Donald Trump said on Friday on his last stop on a Gulf tour focused on business deals that the United Arab Emirates and the United States had agreed a path for the Gulf country to buy advanced AI semiconductors from U.S. companies, a major win for Abu Dhabi's efforts to become a global AI hub. Trump also wrapped up his Gulf tour of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE with a pledge by oil power Abu Dhabi - the UAE's capital and richest emirate - to hike the value of its energy investments in the U.S. to $440 billion in the next decade. Trump departed for Washington after whirlwind meetings with leaders in the Gulf aimed at securing financial commitments from the wealthy energy producers that could boost the U.S. economy and create jobs. In March, when senior UAE officials met Trump, the UAE had committed to a 10-year, $1.4 trillion investment framework in the U.S. in sectors including energy, AI and manufacturing to deepen reciprocal ties. "We're making great progress for the $1.4 (trillion) that UAE has announced it intends to spend in the United States," Trump said in Abu Dhabi, at the end of the four-day tour that has concentrated, at least publicly, on investment, not security crises in the Middle East, including Israel's war in Gaza. His public diplomacy was limited to a meeting with Syria's new interim leader after deciding to remove sanctions on Syria at the behest of Saudi Arabia, in a major shift in U.S. policy. The AI deal is a boost for the UAE, which has been trying to balance its relations with its longtime ally the U.S. and its largest trading partner China. It reflects the Trump administration's confidence that the chips can be managed securely, in part by requiring data centres be managed by U.S. companies. "Yesterday the two countries also agreed to create a path for UAE to buy some of the world's most advanced AI semiconductors from American companies, a very big contract," Trump said. "This will generate billions and billions of dollars in business and accelerate the UAE's plans to become a really major player in artificial intelligence," he added. New deals announced with UAE, totalling over $200 billion, included a $14.5 billion commitment from Etihad Airways to invest in 28 American-made Boeing aircraft. ENERGY INVESTMENTS The UAE energy investment commitment was announced during a presentation by Sultan Al Jaber, Abu Dhabi state energy giant ADNOC's chief executive, one of a number of huge financial pledges Trump has drawn from the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. The enterprise value of UAE investments in the U.S. energy sector will be boosted to $440 billion by 2035 from $70 billion now, Al Jaber told Trump, adding U.S. energy firms will also invest in the UAE. "Our partners have committed new investments worth $60 billion in upstream oil and gas, as well as new and unconventional opportunities," Jaber said in front of a slide showing projects in the UAE under the logos of U.S. companies ExxonMobil, Oxy and EOG Resources. XRG, the international investment arm of ADNOC, is seeking to make a significant investment in U.S. natural gas, Jaber, who is also XRG's executive chairman and minister of industry and advanced technology, has said. SYRIA AND IRAN The lifting of U.S. sanctions on Syria cleared the way for a deal announced on Friday between the Syrian government and Dubai-based DP World, Syrian state news agency SANA said on Friday. The two sides signed a memorandum of understanding worth $800 million to develop Syria's port of Tartous. Trump said he did not consult ally Israel, Syria's longtime foe, about the U.S. decision to recognise Syria's new government, despite deep Israeli suspicion of Islamist President Sharaa's administration. "I didn't ask them about that. I thought it was the right thing to do. I've been given a lot of credit for doing it. Look, we want Syria to succeed," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One, shortly after departing Abu Dhabi. Trump urged Sharaa to establish ties with Israel and join the Abraham Accords, normalisation deals between Israel, the UAE, Bahrain,and Morocco brokered by the United States during his first term. Trump on Friday said Iran has his administration's proposal for a nuclear deal and knows it needs to move quickly, a day after saying Washington and Tehran were close to a nuclear deal. "They have a proposal. More importantly, they know they have to move quickly or something bad--something bad's going to happen," Trump told reporters. (Reporting by Nayera Abdallah and Yousef Saba, Writing by Michael Georgy, Editing by Timothy Heritage and Ros Russell) By Nayera Abdallah, Yousef Saba and Federico Maccioni

Trump announces $200 billion in deals during UAE visit, AI agreement signed - VnExpress International

After Trump's meeting with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the White House said he announced deals that included a $14.5 billion commitment from Etihad Airways to invest in 28 Boeing 787 and 777x aircraft powered by engines made by GE Aerospace. The U.S. Commerce Department said the two countries also agreed to establish a "U.S.-UAE AI Acceleration Partnership" framework Trump and Sheikh Mohamed attended the unveiling of a new 5GW AI campus, which would be the largest outside the United States. Sources have said the agreements will give the Gulf country expanded access to advanced artificial intelligence chips from the U.S. after previously facing restrictions over Washington's concerns that China could access the technology. Trump began a visit to the UAE on the latest stage of a tour of wealthy Gulf states after hailing plans by Doha to invest $10 billion in a U.S. military facility during a trip to Qatar. "I have absolutely no doubt that the relationship will only get bigger and better," Trump said in a meeting with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. "Your wonderful brother came to Washington a few weeks ago and he told us about your generous statement as to the 1.4 trillion," Trump said, referring to a UAE pledge to invest $1.4 trillion in the U.S. over 10 years. Trump was referring to Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Sheikh Mohamed's brother and the UAE's national security adviser and chairman of two of Abu Dhabi's deep-pocketed sovereign wealth funds. The U.S. president was met at the airport in Abu Dhabi by Sheikh Mohamed, and they visited the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, its white minarets and domes, impressive in the late-afternoon light. "It is so beautiful," Trump told reporters inside the mosque, which he said had been closed for the day. "First time they closed it. It's in honor of the United States. Better than in honor of me. Let's give it to the country. That's a great tribute." $200 billion in new deals A White House fact sheet said Trump had secured $200 billion in new U.S.-UAE deals and accelerated the previously committed $1.4 trillion. It said Emirates Global Aluminum would invest to develop a $4 billion primary aluminum smelter project in Oklahoma, while ExxonMobil Corp, Occidental Petroleum, and EOG Resources were partnering with the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company in expanded oil and natural gas production valued at $60 billion. Sheikh Mohamed told Trump the UAE was "keen to continue and strengthen this friendship for the benefit of the two countries and peoples," adding to Trump: "your presence here today, your excellency, the president, confirms that this keenness is mutual." Before his departure for the UAE, Trump said in a speech to U.S. troops at the Al Udeid Air Base southwest of Doha that defense purchases signed by Qatar on Wednesday were worth $42 billion. UAE has been seeking U.S. help to make the wealthy Gulf nation a global leader in artificial intelligence. The U.S. has a preliminary agreement with the UAE to allow it to import 500,000 of Nvidia's most advanced AI chips a year, starting this year, Reuters reported on Wednesday. The deal would boost the UAE's construction of data centers vital to developing AI models, although the agreement has provoked national security concerns among sectors of the U.S. government. The AI agreement "includes the UAE committing to invest in, build, or finance U.S. data centers that are at least as large and as powerful as those in the UAE," the White House said. "The agreement also contains historic commitments by the UAE to further align their national security regulations with the United States, including strong protections to prevent the diversion of U.S.-origin technology." Former U.S. President Joe Biden's administration had imposed strict oversight of exports of U.S. AI chips to the Middle East and other regions. Among Biden's fears were that the prized semiconductors would be diverted to China and buttress its military strength. At the UAE presidential palace, Trump and Sheikh Mohamed could be seen in TV footage in conversation with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang. Trump said he would probably return to Washington on Friday after a regional trip that began on Tuesday, although he said it was "almost destination unknown." Trump had hinted he could stop in Istanbul for talks on Ukraine. Deals, diplomacy Other big business agreements have been signed during Trump's four-day swing through the Gulf region, including a deal for Qatar Airways to purchase up to 210 Boeing widebody jets, a $600 billion commitment from Saudi Arabia to invest in the U.S. and $142 billion in U.S. arms sales to the kingdom. The trip has also brought a flurry of diplomacy. Trump said in Qatar that the United States was getting very close to securing a nuclear deal with Iran, and Tehran had "sort of" agreed to the terms. He also announced on Tuesday the U.S. would remove longstanding sanctions on Syria and subsequently met with Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa. He urged Sharaa to establish ties with Syria's longtime foe Israel. Trump has made improving ties with some Gulf countries a key goal of his administration. If all the proposed chip deals in Gulf states, and the UAE in particular, come together, the region would become a third power center in global AI competition after the United States and China.

Trump announces $200B in deals during UAE visit, AI agreement signed - VnExpress International

After Trump's meeting with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the White House said he announced deals that included a $14.5 billion commitment from Etihad Airways to invest in 28 Boeing 787 and 777x aircraft powered by engines made by GE Aerospace. The U.S. Commerce Department said the two countries also agreed to establish a "U.S.-UAE AI Acceleration Partnership" framework Trump and Sheikh Mohamed attended the unveiling of a new 5GW AI campus, which would be the largest outside the United States. Sources have said the agreements will give the Gulf country expanded access to advanced artificial intelligence chips from the U.S. after previously facing restrictions over Washington's concerns that China could access the technology. Trump began a visit to the UAE on the latest stage of a tour of wealthy Gulf states after hailing plans by Doha to invest $10 billion in a U.S. military facility during a trip to Qatar. "I have absolutely no doubt that the relationship will only get bigger and better," Trump said in a meeting with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. "Your wonderful brother came to Washington a few weeks ago and he told us about your generous statement as to the 1.4 trillion," Trump said, referring to a UAE pledge to invest $1.4 trillion in the U.S. over 10 years. Trump was referring to Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Sheikh Mohamed's brother and the UAE's national security adviser and chairman of two of Abu Dhabi's deep-pocketed sovereign wealth funds. The U.S. president was met at the airport in Abu Dhabi by Sheikh Mohamed, and they visited the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, its white minarets and domes, impressive in the late-afternoon light. "It is so beautiful," Trump told reporters inside the mosque, which he said had been closed for the day. "First time they closed it. It's in honor of the United States. Better than in honor of me. Let's give it to the country. That's a great tribute." $200 billion in new deals A White House fact sheet said Trump had secured $200 billion in new U.S.-UAE deals and accelerated the previously committed $1.4 trillion. It said Emirates Global Aluminum would invest to develop a $4 billion primary aluminum smelter project in Oklahoma, while ExxonMobil Corp, Occidental Petroleum, and EOG Resources were partnering with the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company in expanded oil and natural gas production valued at $60 billion. Sheikh Mohamed told Trump the UAE was "keen to continue and strengthen this friendship for the benefit of the two countries and peoples," adding to Trump: "your presence here today, your excellency, the president, confirms that this keenness is mutual." Before his departure for the UAE, Trump said in a speech to U.S. troops at the Al Udeid Air Base southwest of Doha that defense purchases signed by Qatar on Wednesday were worth $42 billion. UAE has been seeking U.S. help to make the wealthy Gulf nation a global leader in artificial intelligence. The U.S. has a preliminary agreement with the UAE to allow it to import 500,000 of Nvidia's most advanced AI chips a year, starting this year, Reuters reported on Wednesday. The deal would boost the UAE's construction of data centers vital to developing AI models, although the agreement has provoked national security concerns among sectors of the U.S. government. The AI agreement "includes the UAE committing to invest in, build, or finance U.S. data centers that are at least as large and as powerful as those in the UAE," the White House said. "The agreement also contains historic commitments by the UAE to further align their national security regulations with the United States, including strong protections to prevent the diversion of U.S.-origin technology." Former U.S. President Joe Biden's administration had imposed strict oversight of exports of U.S. AI chips to the Middle East and other regions. Among Biden's fears were that the prized semiconductors would be diverted to China and buttress its military strength. At the UAE presidential palace, Trump and Sheikh Mohamed could be seen in TV footage in conversation with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang. Trump said he would probably return to Washington on Friday after a regional trip that began on Tuesday, although he said it was "almost destination unknown." Trump had hinted he could stop in Istanbul for talks on Ukraine. Deals, diplomacy Other big business agreements have been signed during Trump's four-day swing through the Gulf region, including a deal for Qatar Airways to purchase up to 210 Boeing widebody jets, a $600 billion commitment from Saudi Arabia to invest in the U.S. and $142 billion in U.S. arms sales to the kingdom. The trip has also brought a flurry of diplomacy. Trump said in Qatar that the United States was getting very close to securing a nuclear deal with Iran, and Tehran had "sort of" agreed to the terms. He also announced on Tuesday the U.S. would remove longstanding sanctions on Syria and subsequently met with Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa. He urged Sharaa to establish ties with Syria's longtime foe Israel. Trump has made improving ties with some Gulf countries a key goal of his administration. If all the proposed chip deals in Gulf states, and the UAE in particular, come together, the region would become a third power center in global AI competition after the United States and China.